Perennial, evergreen, large, unarmed shrub, stem woody, lenticillate; leaves ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, tapering at base; entire towards the base and serrate or dentate towards the apex, nearly glabrous; stipules ensiform or linear- lanceolate, glabrous; peduncles as long as or longer than petiole; flowers solitary, axillary; epicalyx segments 6-8, linear-lanceolate; calyx deeply 5-lobed; petals red, oblanceolate, entire or crenate at margins, pink or yellow in other cultivar varieties; staminal column red, exerted far beyond the petals, pendulous, anthers monothecous in the upper part only; ovary 5-celled, ovule many, style very long, stigma-5, capitate; capsules roundish, many seeded.